WriterCon

Bestselling authors William Bernhardt, Lara Bernhardt, and Rene Gutteridge discuss the latest news from the book world, offer writing tips, and interviewsenior editor with Thomas Nelson Publishers, HarperCollins Christian Publishing. For fifteen years, before taking an in-house position, she did freelance management, editing and proofreading.Chatper 1: IntroductionReaderCon is fast approaching—and we are ready! It's completely free and open to the public on Sept 4 (Labor Day) in Oklahoma City. You’ll have a chance to hear many authors talk about their work and autograph books, including Lisa Gardner and Tosca Lee. Plus so much fun stuff! Book-themed costume contest. A mystery to solve. Puzzles. Spelling Bee. Jeopardy! Did I mention food trucks? And best of all—rescue animals! And so many chances to buy books!www.writercon.comChapter 2: News1) KKR is Buying Simon & Schuster2) Authors Fued Over AI Book CoverChapter 3: InterviewLara and William interview Janene MacIvor, senior editor at Thomas Nelson/Harper. In the interview, Janene discusses:1) why writers must read;2) what editors are looking for; 3) how she handles an imperfect manuscript with potential;4) the key to professional editing, and5) why she's proud of her work.Chapter 4: Parting WordsDon't forget! WriterCon on Sept 1-3 and ReaderCon on Sept 4!Do Yourself a Big Favor. Be there!Until next time, keep writing, and remember: You cannot fail, if you refuse to quit.William Bernhardtwww.williambernhardt.comwww.writercon.com

Bestselling authors William Bernhardt and Rene Gutteridge discuss the latest news from the book world, offer writing tips, and interview the author of the bestselling Temperance Brennan series which, of course, was the basis for the Bones television series. To date, she has written twenty-two novels featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan. Dr. Reichs is a Ph.D. anthropologist herself with several scholarly articles ont eh subject to her credit. She is one of very few forensic anthropologists certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology.Chapter 1: IntroductionWriterCon is only three weeks away! Join us and take your writing to the next level!www.writercon.comChapter 2: News1) Draft2Digital Adds "Author Success" Division2) Book Sales Update: Romance Booms Even Bigger!3) Author Claims AI-Generated Books Sold Under Her NameChapter 3: Interview with Kathy ReichsDuring this talk, Dr. Reichs disucsses:1) where she found her series character;2) how she blends real forensics with fiction;3) why she uses "ripped-from-the-headlines" plot elements;4) her combo of planning/pantsing; and5) the best advice for writers.Chapter 4: Parting WordsCongratulations to Rene on the continuing success of Family Camp!Remember: WriterCon is Sept 1-4 in Oklahoma City. It is NOT too late to register!And ReaderCon is Sept 4. It's FREE and OPEN to the public. Hear authors talk about their work, get autographs, attend book-related events, and have FUN!www.writercon.comUntil next time, keep writing, and remember: You cannot fail, if you refuse to quit.William Bernhardtwww.williambernhardt.comwww.writercon.com

Bestselling authors William Bernhardt and Lara Bernhardt discuss the latest news from the book world, offer writing tips, and interview Aimee Runyan, author of the new historical novel A BAKERY IN PARIS (August 1, 2023; William Morrow). She has previously enthralled readers with many other historical novels, including last year’s THE SCHOOL FOR GERMAN BRIDES (2022; William Morrow). She has been honored as a Historical Novel Society Editors’ Choice selection, and as a three-time finalist for the Colorado Book Awards. She is also a passionate amateur baker.Chapter 1: IntroductionWriterCon is Coming! And It Is Not Too Late to Registerwww.writercon.comChapter 2: News1) Draft2Digital Acquires SeflPubBookCovers.com2) New York Times Profiles Journey From Heroin Addict to Author & AgentChapter 3: Interview with Aimee RunaynDuring this talk, Runyan discusses:1) writing for women;2) resesarching historical settings;3) writing dual timelines;4) creating memorable characters; and5) how she uses baking in a book.Chapter 4: Parting WordsLara Bernhardt's most recent novel Red Rain is available everywhere:https://www.amazon.com/Red-Rain-Lara-Bernhardt-ebook/dp/B0B6KVW9F2/Join us at WriterCon in OKC Sept 1-4, 2023! We have dozens of bestselling authors, a terrific roster of agents and publishers and much more. Contests, manuscript reviews, private consultations—you can even get a great author photo—for free! At WriterCon, we do it all. www.writercon.com.Until next time, keep writing, and remember: You cannot fail, if you refuse to quit.William Bernhardtwww.williambernhardt.comwww.writercon.com

Bestselling authors William Bernhardt and Rene Gutteridge discuss the latest news from the book world, offer writing tips, and interview Lisa Gardner, the #! New York Times-bestselling author of One Step Too Far and many other great novels.Chapter 1: IntroductionWriterCon Keynote SpeakersChapter 2: News1) Harlequin Launches "Spicy" TikTok-Inspired Line: Afterglow2) AP makes Deal with ChatGPTChapter 3: Interview with Lisa GardnerIn this talk, the author discusses:1) why she turned to writing;2) "Kill a Friend, Main a Buddy;"3) writing suspense;4) using fewer words with more impact; and5) writing series characters.Chapter 4: Parting WordsWriting Momentum provides a pre-conference webinar!WriterCon is coming! We have dozens of bestselling authors, a terrific roster of agents including movie/tv agents, and publishers and editors and authors and much more. Contests, manuscript reviews, private consultations—you can even get a great author photo—for free! For more info, visit our website, writercon.com.Until next time, keep writing, and remember: You cannot fail, if you refuse to quit. William Bernhardtwww.williambernhardt.comwww.writercon.com

Bestselling authors William Bernhardt and Rene Gutteridge discuss the latest news from the book world, offer writing tips, and interview John Wooley, a writer, novelist, lecturer, filmmaker, and radio and TV host who specializes in the movies, literature, music, and pop culture. He has written, co-written, or edited nearly 50 books, including his new horror trilogy The Cleansing (consisting of Seventh Sense, Satan’s Swine, and Sinister Serpent); Twentieth-Century Honky-Tonk, the true story of the fabled Cain’s Ballroom; and so much more.Chapter 1: IntroductionChapter 2: News1) Authors Challenge AI Data-Scraping Their Copyrighted Words2) Penguin Random House Cuts Staff (as did most of the Big 5)Chapter 3: Interview with John WooleyIn this interview, the author will discuss:1) what it means to "wear them down;"2) why he has written so many diverse projects;3) his expertise in film and music;4) his encounter with Ray Charles; and5) surviving as a writer for more than 50 years.https://johnwooley.comChapter 4: Parting WordsCongratulations to Rene on being a finalist in the ScreenCraft competition!We’ve been talking about WriterCon for some weeks now and probably will till it happens on September 1, but I typically talk about the “big-group” stuff—classes, and pitches, contests, and such. WriterCon also provides many opportunities for small-group or even private or one-on-one encounters, like the Manuscript Reviews and the Private Consultations. That’s September 1-4 (Labor Day weekend) in Oklahoma City. For more info, visit our website, www.writercon.com.Until next time, keep writing, and remember: You cannot fail, if you refuse to quit. William Bernhardtwww.williambernhardt.comwww.writercon.com

Bestselling authors William Bernhardt and Rene Gutteridge discuss the latest news from the book world, offer writing tips, and interview Rick Ludwig, author of the Maui Mysteries, including most recently Voice of the Victim.Chapter 1: IntroductionWho Will Win the Golden Ticket (and be interviewed) at WriterCon?Chapter 2: News1) The USA Today Bestseller List is Back!2) Major Publlishers are Using Generative AI—and Agents Want to Stop it!Chapter 3: Interview with Rick LudwigIn this interview, the author discusses:1) how to write honestly;2) what he learned at writing retreats;3) the importance of getting good feedback;4) why he comes to WriterCon each year; and5) the value of journaling.Chapter 4: Parting WordsWriting Momentum has posted a pre-conference video for newbies!Although WriterCon is a large confernce, we still have private opportunities, like the pitch sessions, manuscript reviews, and private consultations. You can schedule one-on-one time with many different knowledgeable people. You can even have lunch with our Guests of Honor, Tosca Lee and Lisa Gardner. That, plus over 60 speakers, three days of classes, and some of the best people in the world should give you more than enough reason to consider coming to WriterCon this year. September 1-4 (Labor Day weekend) in Oklahoma City. For more info, visit our website, www.writercon.com.Until next time, keep writing, and remember: You cannot fail, if you refuse to quit. William Bernhardtwww.williambernhardt.comwww.writercon.com

Bestselling authors William Bernhardt and Rene Gutteridge discuss the latest news from the book world, offer writing tips, and interview Tosca Lee, the award-winning New York Times-bestselling author of many mainstream novels like The Line Between, Biblical novels like The Legend of Sheba, the Books of Mortals series with New York Times-bestseller Ted Dekker, and most recently a historical WWII novel, The Long March Home. She is the recipient of two International Book Awards, Killer Nashville’s Silver Falchion, and the ECPA Book of the Year. In addition to the New York Times list, her books have appeared on the IndieBound bestseller list, the Library Journal’s “Best Of” list, and many others.Chapter 1: IntroductionBurning WriterCon Issues: Will Jesse Sing Karaoke? (and more)Chapter 2: NewsUpdate: Biden Appoints Supervisor for Book Ban RequestsUpdate: Amazon Adds AI-generated Review SummariesUpdate: Kindlepreneur Adds AI Tool to its book description generatorNew Story 1: HarperCollins Bids on Simon & Schuster (with help)New Story 2: Elizabeth Gilbert Pulls Book After Goodreads Review-BombingChapter 3: Interview with Tosca LeeIn this interview, the author discusses:1) why she writes without an audience in mind;2) how she collaborates with other authors;3) reimagining Biblical characters;4) planning ahead without restricting yourself; and5) the benefits of genre-jumping.Chapter 4: Parting WordsWriting Momentum Has Created a Pre-Conference VideoWriterCon is Sept 1-4 (Labor Day weekend) in Oklahoms City at the Renaissance Waterford, with more than sixty presenters like Tosca Lee, as well as contests, critiques, consultation, classes, plus fun stuff like Open Mic, evening roundtables, and karaoke night. For more info, visit our website: www.writercon.com.William Bernhardtwww.williambernhardt.comwww.writercon.com

Bestselling authors William Bernhardt and Rene Gutteridge discuss the latest news from the book world, offer writing tips, and interview Janet Yeager, whose debut novel, Brothers by Honor, has just been released. The book launches a series—the Lakeshore Stories—set in Montana and Oklahoma.Chapter 1: IntroductionWriterCon is fast approaching—September 1-4, 2023. Take this chance to gain the knowledge you need to advance your writing career. www.writercon.comChapter 2: News1) Amazon Changes Rules on Selecting Book Categories2) Mary Trump and Jean Carroll Are Writing a Novel!Chapter 3: Interview with Janet YeagerIn this interview, Yeager explains:1) how to start your first novel;2) how to build a writing career;3) how to find your first publisher;4) the importance of writing from the heart; and5) why writing matters in these troubled times.Chapter 4: Parting WordsWriterCon takes place September 1-4 (Labor Day weekend) in Oklahoma City. We have more than seventy presenters scheduled, plus a sensational roster of agents, plus movie/tv agents, editors, publishers, and much more. Every year we’ve successfully helped writers find agents, but this year we’re doubling down on innovation, finding new ways to connect writers to agents. For more info, visit our website, www.writercon.com. William Bernhardtwww.williambernhardt.comwww.writercon.com

Bestselling authors William Bernhardt and Rene Gutteridge discuss the latest news from the book world, offer writing tips, and interview Andrew Kooman, a Canadian author who writes for the page, stage, and screen. His writing has been translated into more than 10 languages and published around the world. His stage plays have been produced across Canada and the United States, including Off-Broadway in New York City. His critically acclaimed play She Has A Name became a feature film from Unveil Studios and his most recent book is Popcorn Helmet.Chapter 1: IntroductionFather's Day and WriterCon webinarswww.writercon.comChapter 2: News/Focus on Book Banning1) LGBTQ Book Sales Rise Despite Book Banning2) Washington Post Article Suggests 11 People Make Most Book Banning RequestsChapter 3: Interview with Andrew KoomanIn this interview, Kooman discusses:a) writing for the stage;b) the thrill of seeing your words brought to life;c) how his play became a movie;d) how he got into children's books; ande) the challenge of dealing with controversial and heartbreaking events.Chapter 4: Parting WordsLast Call for the WriterCon Small-Group Retreat, July 19-23 in BransonWriterCon (the writers conference) is Labor Day weekend (Sept 1-4) in OKCwww.writercon.comWilliam Bernhardtwww.williambernhardt.comwww.writercon.com

Bestselling authors William Bernhardt and Rene Gutteridge discuss the latest news from the book world, offer writing tips, and interview Justine Barron. Her work has appeared in Rolling Stone, NPR, and on stages across the country. Her investigative stories have been picked up by national news outlets. And she has pursued her longtime interest in justice by investigating and writing about the death of Freddie Gray while in Baltimore police custody. She has written a new book about it called "They Killed Freddie Gray: The Anatomy of a Police Brutality Cover-Up" which will be released later this year.Chapter 1: IntroductionWriterCon Small-Group Retreat in Branson, MissouriWriterCon Writers Conference in OKC Sept 1-4www.writercon.comChapter 2: News1) Update on "Grief Author" Arrested for Homicide2) Taylor Swift Spurs Pre-Orders for Mystery Book3) Reports of Unprofessional Conduct at New Leaf Lit AgencyChapter 3: Interview with Justine BarronIn this interview, you will learn:1) how she distinguishes journalism in short forms and books;2) best research procedures;3) tackling controversial subjects;4) working with law enforcement; and5) the challenges of writing about current events.Chapter 4: Parting WordsWriterCon is September 1-4 (Labor Day weekend) in Oklahoma City. We have more than sixty presenters lined up, plus the best roster of agents we’ve ever had, including movie/tv agents, publishers, and much more. Every year we’ve successfully helped writers find agents, but this year we’re doubling down on innovation, creating new ways to connect writers to agents. And if you register now, you can take advantage of the Early Bird prices. For more info, visit our website, writercon.com.